What’s really annoying about preseason football is ... it’s preseason football!

Instead, it should be referred to as “backup football,” or choose a more appropriate facsimile.

They were once called exhibition games, and maybe they should revert back to it.

The games are an exhibition of players trying to win a job.

Preseason football has been reduced to a showcase of backup veterans, and drafted and undrafted rookies battling for a spot on the roster. It simply has become an outlet for head and assistant coaches to study game films the next day or so.

If you can watch a preseason game after halftime, you’re a true diehard. If you attend a preseason game because it’s part of your ticket plan, you’re a true trooper. Some people will go just to attend an NFL game, and that’s a legitimate reason.

If you recently attended a preseason game, you saw the number of empty seats around you. Take a look at a preseason game on TV and notice the empty seats.

For another season, we won’t see most starters play in preseason games. A few years ago, starters would play a series or two in the first game and then likely the first half in the third preseason game.

But the script has changed.

The league has reduced the number of preseason games to three and added another regular-season game. If you are old enough to remember, the league once played six preseason games that began in mid-July and had 14 regular-season games.

Back then in my youth, I remember watching a few preseason games because it was the start of pro football.

With rising contacts and the ever-present threat of injury to a starter, the vast majority of coaches are holding their starters — noticeably their quarterback — out of preseason games. They don’t want their 30-plus million quarterback, running back or other prominent starter spending the season watching from the sidelines.

On the surface, this isn’t always the right solution. How many times have we seen a starter — who didn’t play a second during the preseason — go down with an injury in the first game of the season? (Jets’ fans can think back to Aaron Rodger’s much-anticipated debut that lasted four plays). Or several of the starters looking rusty in the opener, and their team consequently drops a game they should have won.

Give the starters a series or two in the first game and repeat the practice in the final preseason games. Players need to have live reps — not just practice ones — before the season.

In recent years, teams have instituted joint practices before preseason games. That may be a solution. Maybe have two or three days of joint practices with different teams for three weeks instead of games.

In all likelihood, though, preseason games will be eliminated or reduced to one in the future. The league is moving toward adding more games to its already 17-game regular-season slate.

Here’s a chance of the multi-billion dollar NFL to throw their fans a bone — have free admittance to all preseason games. They should also offer free parking and reduced concessions.

Without starters — as in the Eagles’ case — preseason games usually aren’t worth the price of a ticket, especially the $100-plus ones for the final home preseason game Aug. 28 against Cincinnati.

Supporting Cast ... As expected, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni sat his starters on both sides of the ball, except for a literal handful. Don’t expect to see Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley until September. Barkley nicked an ankle, but it reportedly isn’t serious.

New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion made his debut, but he didn’t have a full deck to play with, and you shouldn’t grade him harshly for the Birds’ two first downs on their first nine possessions and their 159 yards of total offense. Mannion wasn’t expected to show his full hand.

Tank Bigsby had two carries, but Will Shipley got his work in with 28 yards.

One of the more interesting battles in camp is backup quarterback. Tanner McKee, once considered as the possible starter last summer, apparently has fallen in disfavor with the Eagles brass. He was the subject of numerous trade rumors in the offseason.

McKee and veteran Andy Dalton are vying to be Hurts’ caddy, but rookie southpaw signal caller Cole Payton has been impressive. He tossed the Birds’ lone touchdown pass against the Ravens, and also ran for 45 yards. By the way, Payton is the second Eagles’ high-profile quarterback from North Dakota State.

Do you remember the first? It was Carson Wentz, who is scrapping for a backup job in Minnesota.

In the final two preseason games, the battle between McKee, Dalton, and Payton could be worth watching.

Hanging With Mr. Cooper ... Eagles second-year wide receiver Darius Cooper has been a rising star in camp, and he caught two passes for 21 yards against Baltimore.

Cooper, who caught nine passes for 92 yards last season, could easily improve his playing time. Dontayvion Wicks apparently has won the No. 2 position with top pick Makai Lemon still sidelined.

Veterans Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore saw action against Baltimore. Whatever happens, the Eagles receiving corps will be deep.

They Made It ... In the league’s first weekend, there was a sprinkling of starting quarterbacks who got a series or two.

Buffalo’s Josh Allen, who connected on six of eight passes for 111 yards, had one of the more notable debuts, and he was joined by Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (5-6-39), Green Bay’s Jordan Love (3-5-18), Tennessee’s Cam Ward (5-12-57), the Giants’ Jaxon Dart (3-4-26-1), Miami’s Malik Willis (4-5-43), Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett (5-5-44-1), Atlanta’s Tua Tagovailoa (3-5-22) and Carolina’s Bryce Young (3-5-18).

Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson was solid with an 11-of-15, 126-yard showing in his comeback attempt.

New Kids in Town ... April’s top overall pick Fernando Mendoza made his quiet debut for the Raiders, and he looked good with his 10-of-16, 97-yard, rushing touchdown performance. It might be shorter than anticipated for Mendoza to be under center.

It was anticipated that Mendoza would have a showdown with fellow rookie Carson Beck, but he was sidelined with a rib injury. Beck did complete 15 of 19 for 188 yards and a touchdown a week earlier against Carolina.

However, the Rams’ Ty Simpson had a banner performance with his 21-of-25, 190 yards, two-touchdown opener against the Chiefs. It was a bump of assurance in case 38-year-old Matthew Stafford’s back acts up.

Jets’ fans had their hopes raised when rookie Cade Klubnik looked like a veteran in first-quarter showing against Tampa Bay, hitting five of seven for 56 yards.

Note to Rams’ fans ... Aaron Donald is reportedly working out for a return.

All(ar) Right Now ... Steelers fans have to have an initial good feeling about Penn State’s Drew Allar, as the rookie was instrumental in three of their four scores.

Allar looked poised, having one of his better games in the past few seasons, going 10-of-13 for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Allar also ran for a score.

Mason Rudolph appears to be the backup to Rodgers, and Allar and former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard will vie for a spot.

There were eight Penn State players drafted in April, and there are 58 currently on rosters.

Love Is The Answer ... Like Allar, former Notre Dame standout running back Jeremiyah Love opened his career in style, rushing for 73 yards on 14 carries for the Cardinals.

However, Love left with an ankle injury, and he may be sidelined until the start of the season.

At Notre Dame, Love rushed for 2,882 yards and scored 36 touchdowns in three seasons.

Love was one of six Fighting Irish players drafted in April, and there are 60 current former Notre Dame players on NFL rosters.

Scrapbook ... In each column, I will look back at a former standout from the area.

Craig Schleffer excelled at Northern Lehigh, being a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track.

Schleffer was voted as a member of the Centennial League first team on offense, defense, wide receiver and safety in 1980 & 1981 and was the Centennial League’s wide receiver scoring leader in 1980. He played in the McDonald’s All-Star football game and the Big 33 game, the latter in which he had 85 yards receiving and caught the winning touchdown.

After high school, Schleffer continued his career at West Virginia University before he moved on to Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). At IUP, Schleffer caught the winning touchdown pass in their 1986 PSAC Championship game against West Chester University.

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